Summer Fatigue

Have you begun to count the days until school is back in? Is your home looking a bit worse for wear? Or perhaps you’re just hanging on until the last of the summer vacation. So, how do you cope when summer is here?
Some people love summer, and don’t look forward to the time their children return to school. Spending hours a day at the pool, doing crafts, watching children’s movies, library visits, early morning playground trips, and participating in a myriad of other child friendly activities appeals to you. And the heat. You love the heat. You don’t miss the structure of school or the free time to grocery shop, work, and clean alone or have free childcare during the week when you’re at work.
For others, you recognize that this is the mid-point of summer and hope for the second half to go quickly. Is there an alternative to grinning and bearing it? Yes! There are so many opportunities to connect with other parents in your area, and some people have family nearby. Have you guessed the best way to cope with summer strain? A social support network! Make plans with others to take turns having the children and having time alone to work, socialize, shop, or even do nothing. Grandparents are often the best form of social support, for two reasons. Not only do they offer the opportunity for a parent to get a break from the kids, but the relationship forged between child and grandparent is a close and important one. Allowing them to spend time together, overnights and special weekends, helps foster that bond and offers the opportunity for your child to learn to be away from home at an early age in a safe environment. They learn you will always return for them and they can feel a sense of independence.
In the meantime, here is a link for 101 Fun Things to do with kids this summer!